The Study of Revelation, Part 80

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Revelation Chapter 5

VERSE 12saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!

“Many of the descriptions that applied originally to Jehovah can now be applied to our Lord Jesus. If we look in Rev 7:12, we find a similar reference, describing the attributes of the heavenly Father, contrasted to that of the son’s.

Saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"

The only difference that we see between the two is that the Father hasthanksrather thanriches”, in the salutation regarding him. We aren’t sure, but we suggest, that God doesn’t have thanks because who would HE give thanks to since He is the one doing the saving and is not the one being saved.

SAYING WITH A LOUD VOICE: It is beyond the scope of our imaginations as to how loud a voice will in joy proclaim the ascendancy of the Lamb and his priests (Rev 5:10).

The remainder of this verse cannot be made better by commenting on it! However, a few points of analysis might prove helpful:

POWER... (MIGHT): The difference between these words is somewhat subtle. This benediction and the one in the following verse use three Greek words for various kinds of power.

Dunamis (from which we get dynamics, dynamo, etc.) is thePOWERthe Lamb receives. This is inherent power —something like the TALENT a person possesses which enables him to lead.

Ischusis is theMIGHTwhich the Lamb receives. This word means personal strength. Seemingly, it refers to the actual ability to put those talents into operation.

Kratosis is theDOMINIONwhich the Lamb receives in Verse 13. We use this word in English as a suffix —“…cracy” —as in Aristocracy, Democracy, etc.

It is the power of ruler-ship. Hence, DOMINION is a very good translation.

Compare this benediction with Dan 7:14 and Psa 2:7, 8.

It should be noted that this accolade of Verse 12 to our dear Redeemer was made after his resurrection, at the time of his ascension to heaven forty days later . . . but before he exercised this power in any way. At this time Jesus had just proven his worthiness to receive such power, honor, and glory. Moreover, this portion of the drama took place prior to the breaking of the seals of the book. The fact that the Lamb was freshly slain furnishes an additional clue as to the time this acclamation was given. The powers and prerogatives had been bestowed upon Jesus, but he had not fully exercised them yet.”

VERSE 13And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!

This verse takes us down to the end of the millennial age, in which everyone will come to recognize Christ, and bend the knee to him. (Phil 2:9-11)

The wording of this verse might seem to contradict the time setting as previously explained (Verse 11) unless it is understood that this picture projects beyond the initial proclamation given to Jesus, showing that ultimately all will praise God and Jesus. Thisgrand hallelujah choruswill take place at the end of the Millennial Age.

At that time every heavenly and every earthly creature will join in the praise; and thesea,” the hitherto in-between and undecided class, will have been eliminated either by their going over to the Lord (Exod. 32:26; Josh. 24:15; Matt. 25:31–46) or by their going into Second Death (Rev. 21:1, 8). In the final picture, every person will be either all for the Lord or not for the Lord; each one will either become a part of the “new heavens” and the “new earth” or become extinct (2 Pet. 3:13).

Earlier, in Verse 11, only the holy angels (“many angels”) pronounced Jesus worthy. Later, here in Verse 13, “EVERY creature . . . in heavengives praise, demonstrating that the latter is a future portrayal which will occur after the judgment of the fallen angels and the destruction of those proven to be incorrigible (Matt. 8:28,29; 1 Cor. 6:3; Jude 6). The Keys of Revelation

AND EVERY CREATURE (EVERY CREATED THING): all creation (intelligent beings)

WHICH IS IN HEAVEN: This must refer to thenew heavensrather than the old since the old would never make the following benediction.

These new heavens would consist of the Church, the Great Multitude, the Ancient Worthies —all the ruler-ship parties of the new order. Compare Isa 2:1-4.

AND ON THE EARTH: thenew earth wherein dwells righteousness” (2 Pet. 3:13). Like the heavens, the OLD earth would never agree to the following benediction.

AND UNDER THE EARTH AND SUCH AS ARE IN THE SEA:

The sea class (the restless masses of mankind) is the last to pass away because it represents a class which has never had roots and which needs time to establish itself comfortably —thus becoming part of the newearthclass. Nevertheless, BEFORE it has fully rooted itself, it can appreciate and acknowledge its comfortability with the new King. Eventually their instability will vanish, and they, as a class, will no longer exist. (Rev 20:13 and 21:1)

Another interesting prophecy which sheds some light on those IN THE SEA is Isa 33:17-24. If we are thinking specifically about those IN the sea, rather than the sea itself, Isaiah suggests that no one will any longer be able to plunder the sea class.

AND ALL (THINGS) THAT ARE IN THEM: The best translation seems to include the word “things.” We have, at the beginning of the verse, dealt with beings (“every created thing.”) “Thingshere at the end of the sentence probably represent those inanimate forces under the control of intelligent beings. That is, not only will BEINGS willingly give into the new order, but they will direct all their resources toward acknowledging that new order.

Again, the remainder of this verse is not enhanced by comment! Do note, however, that the world finally understands the part that BOTH Father AND Son play in the arrangement.

VERSE 14Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”

“The four living creatures, wisdom, justice, love, and power, are all satisfied with the turn of events. Because of the blood of the lamb, wisdom and justice will now be able to turn aside from blocking the way to life. Love and power will no longer be stopped from uplifting mankind, but will be able to accomplish God’s plan of salvation. The 24 elders that represent the scriptures of God are now satisfied with Christ who was chosen to open the seals on the scroll. For that reason, we see that they are all satisfied and they worship both God and the Lamb, who made it possible.”

Thus we conclude the Introduction to the Seven Seals and will in our next post proceed on to the Introduction to the Seven Trumpets.

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